The Selangor government has been accused of not keeping to its promise that Bible copies seized by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) will be returned swiftly.

Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) Religious Harmony Bureau Chairman Ti Lian Ker said it had been more than three months since Jais carried out an “unconstitutional raiding and confiscation” of 321 Alkitab and Bub Kudus (Bibles in the Malay language) from the Bible Society of Malaysia’s premises and till now, no dates had been announced as to when the books would be returned.

“As MB Khalid (Selangor state chief Khalid Ibrahim) did not give a specific time frame of when to expect the return of the holy books, and as this empty assurance has been expressed seve­ral times already, one cannot help but take the latest announcement with a slight pinch of salt at best and not be fooled again,” he said in a press statement yesterday.

It was reported that the probe would be completed soon and the books returned.

Ti said the state government had shown once again that they sat on problems, shirk responsibility by passing the buck or blame to the ruling Barisan Nasional or the government when racial or religious issues flare up.

On January 11, the Selangor exco for Islamic Affairs Sallehen Mukhyi promised to resolve the issue over the raid within a week while Selangor executive council member in charge of tourism, consumer affairs and environment Elizabeth Wong said the religious scripture would be given back the following week.

Ti also asked why the authorities must hold on to the sacred texts pending investigation when the raid against a non-Muslim premises should not even have been carried out by the Selangor religious authorities.

Sallehen claimed that Jais had referred the case to the attorney-general’s chambers which was then forwarded to the home ministry, adding that the Selangor government was awaiting approval from the ministry.